Karnataka Vande Mataram Row: State Government’s Decision Challenged in High Court
Bengaluru, September 16, 2026: A fresh political and legal controversy has emerged in Karnataka after a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Karnataka High Court challenging the state government’s decision on the singing of Vande Mataram at official events.
The petition was filed on September 15 by advocate Girish Bharadwaj. It challenges the Karnataka government’s September 8 order restricting the singing of Vande Mataram to its first two stanzas at official functions, with an exception concerning events attended by senior constitutional dignitaries.
According to the petition, the state government’s decision raises questions about the extent of its executive authority over the national song. The petitioner has argued that Vande Mataram does not fall within the relevant State or Concurrent List entries of the Constitution’s Seventh Schedule.
The legal challenge also refers to a July 9 directive from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs concerning the official version of Vande Mataram. The petitioner contends that Karnataka’s order is inconsistent with that central directive.
